Method of and mechanism for agitating fluids and semifluids



Oct. 14, 1930. R E. JONES METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AGITATING FLUIDS AND SEMIFLUIDS Filed) Aug. 's, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct 14, 1930. R. E. JONES 1,

METHOD AND MECHANISM FOR AGITA'IING FLUIDS AND SEHIFLUIDS Fiied Aug. s, 1928 2 sne t s-sneet 2 v a H I 43 0,34 40- -40- A ORNEYS? Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNETED STAT RICHARD E; JONES, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AGITATING FLUIDS AND SEMIFLUIDS Application filed August 3, 1928. Serial No. 297,361.

This invention relates to an improved method of agitating fluids and semi-fluids and improved mechanism for adapting; said method to the production and maintenance of 5 a better mixture of the ingredients in fluids or semi-fluids such, for example, as printers inks. More especially, the present invention contemplates the proper conditioning of printers inks in printing press fountains and the maintenance of such inks in proper condition for use at any time and irrespective of whether or not the printing press may be in operation, or at rest.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide mechanism of improved construction whereby a progressive wave of ink may be created in a body of printers ink contained in an ink fountain or other receptacle and whereby the wave. thus produced may be out or sliced longitudinally of the direction in which said wave progresses. More particularly considered, this operation is contemplated in conjunction with the downwardly moving peripheral portions of an ink fountain roller to which the ink is propelled in successive spirals, and turned over from the bottom.

A particular obj ect of my invent-ion resides in a wave-forming blade of improved form 0 which in conjunction with the laterally-parted spirals of ink or semi-fluid mass operates to prevent an overflow from the fountainand thus to avoid the occurrence of certain undesirable results which would otherwise follow the spilling of ink upon contiguous portions of the printing press.

Another object of my invention is to provide an ink-agitating attachment of improved construction which may be separably connected to a printing-press inking fountain or. re ceptacle, and which in its operative position is adapted to be driven independently of the printing press. For this purpose, my inven tion contemplates an independently driven motor and. a separable driving connection be tween said motor and certain power-transmitting connections which operate an ink-agitating device and are removable with said attachment.

Another object of my invention is to provide means of improved construction for operating an ink-agitating device independent- 1y of the printing press to which it is attached.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved operating connections for driving a detachably mounted ink-agitating mechanism'by means of a direct-connected motor.

Another object of my inventionis to. provide an improved reversible connection be tween an agitator carriage and a continuously movable endless belt. For this purpose, my invention contemplates a rigidly mounted guide for positively constraining the reciproeatory movements of the agitator carriage and a suitable construction of said carriage to provide oppositely-arranged pairs of bearing recesses for positively constraining the oppositely-moving branches of an endless belt by means of which the reciprocatory movements of said carriage are imparted by means of an improved reversible connection, said connection being adapted to connect the carriage to said oppositely moving branches of the endless belt in alternation.

Another object of my invention to provide means of improved construction for longitudinally cutting or slicing the fluid or semi-fluid mass as it is formed into a progressive wave within the fountain. Other and more particular objects of invention will appear in the specification and the constructional features relating thereto will be recited in the claims,

In the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention in an adaptation to the ink-fountainof a printing press,

Figure, 1 is a top plan view of an ink-fountain with my improved fluid-agitating mechreineveb y theret Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the same from the power-driven end, the motor being omitted and contiguous portions shown in cross-section.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on the line 1--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal fragmentary section on the line 55 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is an enlarged rear elevation of the agitator carriage and the driving connecions therefor.

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a detail section of one of the oscillatory agitator-rods provided with means for limiting the oscillatory movements thereof.

Figure 10 is a section on the line 1010 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in an adaptation to the ink fountain of a printing press. Said ink fountain comprises end frames 1 and 2 which, as shown in Figure 4f, increase in depth forwardly toward a fountain roll 3. Removably secured to the side frames 1 and 2, is a bottom wall 4: which is inclined downwardly and forwardly to the fountain roll which is carried by a shaft 5, said shaft being journalled in suitable bearings in the side frames 1 and 2. The fountain roll 3 is rotated on its axis in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4. This rotation of the ink-fountain roll is usually a step-by-step movement but for convenience in illustration, its effects upon the ink within the ink-fountain are indicated in connection with a continuously rotated ink-fountain roll. A bracket 6 is socured. to the end frame 2 of the fountain. Detachably connected to this bracket is one end of the fixed guide-bar 7, for a reciprocatory agitator carriage, the other end of said guide-bar being detaehably connected to a bracket 8 carried by the end frame 1 of the ink-fountain. A box-like support 9 which is adjustably secured to the guide-bar 7 at one end carries a journal pin 10 for a sprocket-wheel 11. As shown in Figure 1, the axially spaced bearings 12 of a bifurcated bearing bracket 12 carry a sprocket-wheel shaft- 13. a laterally-presented pad 12 of said bracket being interposed between the adjacent end of said guide-bar 7 and the bracket 8. A sprocket-wheel 14 is keyed to the shaft 13. hfounted upon the sprocket-wheels 11 and 1 1 is an endless sprocket-chain 15 which is preferably driven continuously in one direction as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2. Keyed to the shaft 13 between the axiallyspaced bearings 12 is a worm-wheel 16 into which meshes a drive worm 17 on the armature shaft 18 of a motor 19. Said motor is preferably mounted upon a base plate 20 provided with an upwardly-presented arm 21 secured to the bracket support 8.

Reciprocably mounted upon the fixed guide-bar 7 is a carriage for an ink-agitating device. As shown in Figure 7, said carriage includes a slide block 22 provided with a guideway substantially fitting the cross-sec tion of the guide-bar 7 and a cover-plate 23 which retains the slide block 22 in position during its reciprocatory movement on said guide-bar. Mounted upon the slide block 22 are oppositely presented guide rails 2a which are suitably spaced to positively support the upper and lower runs of the endless belt 15 against outward displacement from their parallel paths between the sprocket-wheels 11 and 141. As shown in Figure 8, the slide block 22 is also provided with spacing blocks 25 which serve to support the oppositely moving branches of endless belt 15 against inward displacement as they pass through or travel with the guide block 22. In order to provide means of suitable construction for alternately connecting the slide to the oppositelymoving branches of the endless belt 15, I preferably employ a mutilated sprocket-wheel 26 which is journalled upon a stud 27 carried by the slide 22. Said mutilated sprocketwheel is provided with an outwardly-presented finger or lug 26 which is adapted to be interrupted in its movement around the axis of stud 27 by lugs 28 arranged on opposite sides of said axis and carried by a reciprocatory stop-plate 29. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, two longitudinally-spaced stops 30 are adiustably secured to the guide-bar 7 and suitablv arranged to engage the projecting ends of stop-plate 29 which is thereby moved endwise to release the lug or finger 26 which is thereupon moved in a clockwise direction according to Figure 6 until it is intercepted by the other of said lugs 28. This movement of the mutilated sprocket-wheel 26 disengages the sprocket teeth from one branch of endless belt 15 and moves it into engagement with the oppositely-running branch thereof in which position it is reta ned by lug 28. As shown in Figure 6. the guide-rails 24 are provided with arcuate recesses 24 to permit a slight outward yielding of the endless belt as the teeth of the mutilated sprocket-wheel are brought into engagement therewith.

As shown best in Figure 1. the cover plate of the slide block 22 is provided with a lug 31 within which is adjustably mounted a vertical post 32. Secured to the top of the post 32 is a carrier block 33 to which is connected an angularly adjustable arm 34. Attached to this arm is an ink stirring blade .35 which is arranged edgewise with respect to the bottom wall 4 of the ink fountain and is thus adapted to be moved flatside on through the ink by the reciprocatory movement of slide 22. The upper edge of blade is rounded upwardly between the ends thereof and is adapted by its movement to create a wave of ink which travels from one end of the ink fountain to the other. As shown best in Figures 1 5, the bracket arm 3-1- is pro vided with inwardly-presented curved vertical surfaces 34 for the purpose of preventing 4:0 which depend from each of the transverse rods 37. As indicated in Figures 1 and i, the depending rods on one transverse rod 37 are staggered with reference to the corresponding rods on the other transverse rod. As shown in: Figure 5, the transverse rods 37 are arranged on opposite sidesof the ink waving blade 85. Furthermore, the depending roos L0 in advance of the waving blade .35 are directed towards the upper edge of said waving blade, whereas the rods 40 on the other side thereof trail rearwardly there from inrespect to its movement through the ink. The effectof this peculiar construction and re ive arrangement of the several parts is to impart certain well defined movements to the body of ink within the ink fountain indicated in Figures 1, 4, and 5. Thus the pr'ogre ive wave created by the blade is cut or sliced longitudinally by the depending rods 40 in such a way as to part theank body into a succession of spiral portions which arebrought into progressive engagement with the downwardly moving peripherv of the fountain roll 4 and thus causes the ink to be continuously mixed and turned over from the bottom as indicated in Figure 4. In this connection, it is important to note that where the ink. agitator has been driven from some moving portion of a printing press and thus permitted to come to rest during the idle periods of said printing press, the upper surface of the ink takes on a candied or glazed condition which is entirely avoided by niy improved mechanism which may be driven continuously and uninterruptedly during idle periods of the printing press.

I claim p 1. The herein described method of agitatinn: fluid or sem fluid material, which method consists in cr time a progressive wave in the material and in cutting the wave of material through the top surface thereof and: in. the line of its progress.

2. The herein described method of agitating a fluid or semi-fluid material, wl 10h material in the line of its progress and in turning over the material on one side of the line of cutting.

S. 'l herein described method of agi- 'ating a fluid or semi-fluid material which co"- ists in creating a progressive wave in material, in cutting the wave of material a the line ofits progress, and in progressively turning over the material at a distance from the line of cutting.

The herein described method of agitating a fluid or semi-fluid material which metlr od consists in creating a progressive wave in the material, in cutting the wave of material in a plurality of spaced lines extending in the direction of its progress, and in progressively turning over the successive portions of the material parted by the lines of cutting.

5. In mechanism of the character des 'bed, the combination with means for crea a progressive wave in fluidror semiflu d material, of means for cutting through the top-surface of the wave of material in the line of its progress. 7

6. The herein described mechanism for e tating f id or semi-fluid material which chanism comprises a blade movable broadside through said material for creating a prog"essive wave therein, and a rod movable ranged for cutting through the upper sure ()Ti' the wave in the direction of its proa mechanism of the character decribed, the combination with an ink-founain, of a device for agitating the ink in said r-fountain, a mechanical train for transmi ting power tosaid ink-agitating device, aseparately-removahle unitary support for aid ink-agitating device and part of said mechanical train, said unitary support being detachably connected to said lIllT-fOULD: tain, and a motor separately connected to the removable part of said mechanical train for permitting the separate removal of said unitary support with the parts carried thereby.

.8. in mechanism of the character described, the combination of an ink fountain,

a fontain roll operating in said ink-fountam, n agitator blade normally arranged "loll said blade, said rod being adapted and able longitudinally of the receptacle to impart a progressive transverse wave to the material in said receptacle, means movable longitudinally of said receptacle to cut the progressive wave of material transversely, means acting upon the cut waved material at one longitudinal edge thereof to turn over that portion the material on one side of the line of the cutting action, a common carrier for said wave-imparting means and said wave-cutting means, and means for moving said carrier continuously from one end to the other of said receptacle.

10. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of an ink fountain, a fountain roll operating in said fountain, an agitator blade movable over the bottom wall of the ink-fountain, and an ink-slicing rod movable longitudinally of said fountain roll and through the upper surface of the ink in said fountain, said fountain roll being arranged to progressively turn over the body of ink between said fountain roll and the path of said ink-slicin g rod.

11. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of an ink fountain, a fountain roll operatin in said fountain, an agitator movable within said ink fountain, a reciprocatory slide upon which said agita tor is mounted, an endless chain movable continuously in one direction, a segmental sprocket-wheel journalled in said reciprocatory slide, said segmental sprocket-wheel being provided with a radially-presented finger offset axially from said segmental sprocketwheel, a stop-plate reoiprocable on said reciprocatory slide, said stop-plate being provided with lugs spaced longitudinally of said stop-plate and with a space between them greater than the opposite extreme positions of said finger in the plane of said stop-plate, and means for moving said stop-plate endwise and successively in opposite directions for permitting the mutilated sprocket to come into engagement with the oppositelymoving runs of the endless chain in alternation.

12. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a receptacle for material to be treated, of a fountain roll rotatable on an axis extending longitudinally of said receptacle, a carrier reciprocable longitudinally of said receptacle, a blade mounted on said carrier and presented transversely of said receptacle for creating a progressive transverse wave in the material in said receptacle, a transverse support mounted on said carrier, and a rod depending from said transverse support and movable longitudinally of said receptacle to cut the progressive transverse wave of material, said fountain roll being arranged to operate upon the waved material on one side of the line of the cutting action.

13. The combination with an ink-fountain,

of a reciprocatory slide, a carrier-head mounted on said slide, an agitator blade mounted on said carrier-head and operating in said ink-fountain, a carrier bar extending longitudinally with respect to the path of said reciproeatory slide, oscillatable transverse rods arranged on opposite sides of said agitator blade and above said ink-fountain, said oscillatable rods being provided with laterally-spaced depending rods for parting the wave of ink created by said agitator blade.

14. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with an ink-fountain provided with laterally-spaced end walls, a guide-bar relcasably secured to the rear edges of said end walls, a slide on said guide-bar, means carried by raid slide for agitating the ink in said ink-fountain, means mounted on said guide-bar for reciprocating said slide, said reciprocating means including a driven gear carried by and removable with said guide-bar, and a motor provided with a driving pinion meshing with said driven gear, the driving connection between said motor pinion and driven gear permitting the removal of said guide-bar with the parts carried thereby without the removal of said motor.

15. The combination with a printing press ink-fountain provided with an ink-roller eX- tending along one edge of said ink-fountain and with a bottom wall inclined downwardly toward the under side of said ink-roller, of an ink-slicing rod suitably presented to cut through the surface of the ink in said inkfountain and oscillatable about an axis movable longitudinally of said ink-roller.

16. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with an ink-fountain of a device for agitating the ink in said ink-fountain, said ink-agitating device being provided with a power-transmitting mechanism, a bar-support for said ink-agitating device and power-transmitting mechanism, said power-transmitting mechanism including a gear rotatably supported by said bar-support, and a motor mounted on said ink-fountain and provided with a drive gear adapted to mesh with said gear in the powertransmitting mechanism, said bar support being removable with the ink-agitating device and power transmitting mechanism independently of the motor.

17. The combination with an ink-fountain, of an ink-roller operating in said ink-fountain, means for producing a wave of ink lengthwise of said ink-roller, and a rod movable lengthwise of said ink-roller, said rod being suitably disposed to cut through the surface of the ink in the crest of said wave.

18. The combination with an ink-fountain, of an ink-roller operating along one edge of said ink-fountain, a slide reciprocable lengthwise of said ink-roller, an ink-agitating blade carried by said slide, said blade being arranged transversely with respect to said inkroller and adjacent to the bottom of said inkfountain for producing a wave of ink along said ink-roller in alternate opposite directions, and an ink-slicing rod carried by said reciprocable slide, said ink-slicing rod being a inged to cut through the surface of the ink in the crest of the wave produced by said ink-agitating blade.

19. In combination with a. printing press ink-fountain, of driver and follower sprockets journaled on laterally-spaced axes, an endless sprocket-chain mounted on said sprockets,'a slide reciprocably mounted on said inlnfountain, ink-agitating means mounted on said slide, a mutilated sprocketwheel journaled on said slide between the upper and lower runs of said endless sprocket chain, said mutilated sprocket-wheel being provided with a projecting portion terminating substantially in a surface corresponding to the addendum circle of said sprocket-wheel, a stop plate reciprocably mounted on said slide, said stop-plate being provided with lugs movable in the plane of revolution of and alternately into and out of the path of said projecting portion on opposite sides of the rotary axis of said mutilated sprocket-wheel, and fixed abutments' arranged to impart an endwise displacement of the stop-plate at opposite ends of the reciprocatory movement of said slide.

20. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with an ink-fountain provided with a transverse guide-bar, a slide reciprocable on said guide-bar, laterally-spaced wheels, an endless belt mounted on said laterally-spaced wheels, a mutilated wheel adapted to alternately engage the oppositely-running branches of said endless belt, said mutilated wheel being provided with a stop adjacent to its outer periphery, a stop-plate reciproeable on said slide, said stop-plate being provided with laterally-presented lugs movable in the plane of rotation of said stop and alternately into and out of the path of said stop.

21. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, the combination with an ink-fountain, of a carrier reciprocably mounted on said ink-fountain, means mounted on said carrier for stirring the ink in said ink-fountain, an endless sprocket-chain extending parallel to the reciprocatory path of said carrier, said carrier being provided with straight guide-ways slidably engaging the upper and lower runs of said endless sprocket-chain in parallel planes tangent to the upper and lower edges of the sprocketwheels upon which said sprocket-chains are mounted, a mutilated sprocket wheel journaled on an axis extending transversely between the upper and lower runs of said endless sprocket-chain and adapted to alternately interengage with said upper and lower runs thereof, and means actuated at oppositeends of the reciprocatory path of said car rier block for retaining'said mutilated sprocket-wheel in en agement With-the upper or lower run ofsai sprocket-chain. 22L lira mechanism of the character de- -bedythe combination with an ink-fountain, of a transverse guide-bar, belt-sup porting wheels j ournaled on laterally-spaced aXes,a n endless belt mounted on said sup porting wheels, carrierslidably mounted onsaid guide-bar, said carrier being provided with j laterally-spaced alined ineach of the horizontal planes tangent to the upper and lower edges of said supporting wheels, a mutilated wheel journaled in said carrier on a transverse axis midway between the upper and lower runs of said endless belt, said mutilated wheel being adapted to alternately interengage with said upper and lower runs of the endless belt, means actuated by the reciprocatory movement of said carrier for holding saidmutilated wheel in engagement with the upper and lower runs of said endless belt, and means mounted on said carrier for stirring the ink in said ink-fountain.

23. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with an ink-fountain provided with laterally-spaced end walls, of sprocket-wheels journaled on latorally-spaced axes adjacent to said end-walls respectively, an endless sprocket-chain mounted on said sprocket-Wheels, a carrier slidably mounted upon said ink-fountain, said carrier being provided with upper and lower guide-ways reciprocably supporting the upper and lower runs of said sproclret-chain in the top and bottom tangent planes of said sprocket-wheels, a mutilated sprocket-wheel transversely journaled between the upper and lower runs of said endless chain, said mutilated sprocket-wheel being adapted to alternately engage said upper and lower runs of the endless sprocket-chain, and means actuated by the reciprocatory movement of said carrier for retaining said mutilated sprocket-wheel in engagement with the upper or lower run of said sprocket-chain, said guide-ways being provided with arcuate recesses for permitting a limited degree of displacement of said sprocket-chain as the mutilated sprocket-wheel moves into engagement therewith.

24-. In a machanism of the character described, the combination with an ink-foun tain, of a carrier reciprocably mounted on said ink-fountain, sprocket-wheels journaled upon laterally-spaced axes, an endless sprocket-chain mounted on said sprocket wheels, said sprocket-wheels and endless sprocket-chain being arranged in a plane parallel to the plane in which said carrier reciprocates, means mounted on said carrier guide-ways I for agitating the ink in said ink-fountain, a mutilated sprocket-Wheel journaled in said carrier between the upper and lower runs of said endless chain, said mutilated sprocket- Wheel being adapted to alternately engage with said upper and lower runs of the endless sprocket-chain, and means mounted on said carrier and movably engaging both runs of said endless chain on opposite sides of the opposite parallel planes tangent to the addendum circles of said sprocket-Wheels for holding the runs of said endless sprocket-chain to direct straight lines of travel between said sprocket-Wheels.

RICHARD E. JONES. 

